THREE local schools are celebrating after finishing in a list of the top 10 independent schools in the North-west.

The list, compiled by The Sunday Times for it's Parent Power supplement, places Bolton School Girl's Division fourth, Bolton School Boy's ninth and Bury Grammar Girl's in 10th place.

Nationally, Bolton School Girl's Division is ranked as 56th best.

The aim of the list is to provide parents with a definitive guide to Britain's top 750 independent and prepatory schools.

The results are calculated on the percentage of A and B grades at A-Level, and A* and A grades at GCSE level and they include the revised results of October's A-Level re-gradings.

Seven per cent of children now attend fee-paying schools.

Over the last five years, an extra 22,500 pupils have joined the independent sector, principally between the ages of three and 10. A spokesman for Bury Grammar Girl's School said: "I know we are a tip-top school, but we're delighted with the results, which were absolutely superb.

"We achieved our best A-Level results ever and our GCSE results stayed the same despite the addition of an extra subject.

"It's a credit to the area, and shows how fortunate our children are, to have three schools in the top 10."